Connect with Us
Connect with the SRC Extension Professional in your region to learn more
Suffolk County
Extension Professional
Elizabeth Hornstein
Phone Number
631.824.4575
elizabeth.hornstein@cornell.edu
Nassau County
Extension Professional
Sarah Schaefer-Brown
Phone Number
516.832.2591 ext. 116
sarahschaefer-brown@cornell.edu
Bronx & Queens
Extension Professional
Ben Goldberg
Phone Number
631-824-1053
bgoldberg@cornell.edu
Westchester County
Extension Professional
Sara Powell
Phone Number
914.369.1591
slp285@cornell.edu
Western CT
Extension Professional
Deb Visco Abibou
Phone Number
203.407.3166
deb.abibou@uconn.edu
Eastern CT
Extension Professional
Sarah Schechter
Phone Number
860.405.9215
sarah.schechter@uconn.edu
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Learn moreLong Island Sound Partnership
Long Island Sound Partnership is a collaborative bi-state partnership established by the EPA, New York, and Connecticut, which brings together federal and state agencies, user groups, concerned organizations, and individuals dedicated to restoring and protecting Long Island Sound (LIS). LIS Partnership efforts are guided by a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, revised in 2025, which is structured around four key goals:
- Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds – Restore and maintain water quality in Long Island Sound and its watershed.
- Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife – Restore and protect the health and resilience of habitats.
- Sustainable and Resilient Communities – Empower Long Island Sound communities to plan for and respond to environmental challenges in ways that prioritize well-being for all.
- Informed and Engaged Public – Inspire and empower the public to appreciate, value, and protect Long Island Sound and the waters that flow into the Sound.
Learn more at lispartnership.org
Western CT
Deb Abibou
Suffolk County
Elizabeth Hornstein
Westchester County
Sara Powell
Eastern CT
Sarah Schechter
Nassau County
Sarah Schaefer-Brown
Bronx & Queens
Ben Goldberg
Our Team
Within the Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Goal, we focus on supporting vibrant and well-informed Long Island Sound communities that can sustain themselves far into the future. In late 2021, Connecticut Sea Grant and New York Sea Grant brought on a team of five Extension Professionals strategically located in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties in New York, and in eastern and western Connecticut. In 2025, a sixth team member was added in New York to cover the Bronx and Queens. Guided by an SRC Work Group, the team focuses on helping communities anticipate and adapt to flooding and other impacts of environmental changes. By providing training and tools that foster a coordinated regional response to these challenges, they are helping empower Long Island Sound decision-makers with enhanced knowledge and skills, ultimately boosting the implementation of sustainable and resilient projects throughout the region.
LIS Resilience Resource Hub
A Needs Assessment by the SRC Work Group identified the need for guidance to support LIS Partnership partners and stakeholders in identifying the most suitable resources and approaches for various aspects of resilience planning. The LIS Resilience Resource Hub is designed to serve as an easy to use, central repository of resources and connections that helps people locate relevant tools and resources tailored to their needs, and facilitates projects that enhance the sustainability and resilience of Long Island Sound communities.
Join us at an upcoming training
Find out about upcoming virtual and in-person trainings and events.
Learn about our Assistance Programs
Access our Planning Support and Grant Writing Assistance opportunities.
